Sailing the Karina C

Vessel Name: Karina C
Vessel Make/Model: Spencer 35
Hailing Port: Nanaimo, B.C.
Crew: Jay + Anita Bigland
About: We are a crew of 2 ready to take on adventure on the Pacific Coast. We have returned from sailing to Mexico from 2010-15.
Extra: email us at jayanitabigland@gmail.com
25 July 2023 | Home port
25 July 2023 | Home Port
12 July 2023 | Poet’s Cove
21 May 2023 | Home port
14 August 2022 | Home port
20 July 2022 | Home port
15 April 2022 | Nanaimo Home
14 April 2022 | Nanaimo
13 April 2022 | Saltspring Yacht Club
12 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
11 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
09 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
08 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
07 April 2022 | Sidney Spit Marine Park
06 April 2022 | Montague Harbour
05 April 2022 | Clam Bay
30 March 2022 | Home Port- Nanaimo
10 February 2022 | Mill Bay
06 September 2021 | Home port
31 July 2021 | Home port
Recent Blog Posts
25 July 2023 | Home port

Ode to Old Age

We made it back in time to do a little work on a project we have going in the back yard: a retaining wall. We have bought 4 palettes of bricks and we are about to lay them. We've hired a young man who is a very good worker and he has been ever so helpful. Today I (Jay) went to the ophthalmologist's office [...]

25 July 2023 | Home Port

Poet's Cove to Home

Heading N on Trincomali Channel

12 July 2023 | Poet’s Cove

To Poet’s Cove

Beautiful costumes at Mexican Festival

21 May 2023 | Home port

First Big cruise of 2023

Jay & Anita at Tod Inlet

14 August 2022 | Home port

August Cruise

Rion and Michelle Berg at Gowland Point

20 July 2022 | Home port

Out for a couple of weeks

In late June, Anita’s shoulder and my eye healed sufficiently to make a little journey on Karina C.

In Marina de La Paz

27 November 2012 | La Paz
Jay/ Hot
Isla Coyote. The only continuously inhabited island in the Sea of Cortez.
11-20
We’ve been at Puerto Escondido for a few days now. Anita goes out walking with “the Girls” in the mornings.
We have had 2 things that have been “bugging” us so far this winter:
1- La Cucaracha (cockroaches)
2- A persistent leak from the chain locker
We eventually hunted the last one down a few days ago. We will have to be vigilant for a week to make sure any possible eggs have not brought more. We have 3 roach motels hidden on various little parts of the boat to accommodate any stragglers. We are relieved that battle is over (if only for a short time). We discovered an infestation in the bathroom at Marina San Carlos. They would sneak back to our boat in our dirty laundry or towels. We are going to have to be careful when we come back in the spring.
Yesterday, I took a careful look at the chain locker drain. I thought there was a fitting that drained the locker. Nope. Maybe the fitting rotted as there was no hose clamp and nothing to hold the hose in the hole. In Puerto Escondido there would be no fittings, drills or hoses to replace the old system. Sooooo… I just put a good big dab of silicone on the end of the hose and jammed it back into the hole. I’ll test it over the next couple of days and see if that will do as a temporary fix. In La Paz I will do a big fix with fittings, hoses and a better system for draining the chain locker. I am looking forward to that job being past us as it was really bothering me.
11-21
We bid Kip and Mary adieu this morning at 0630. We were happy to be on our way as our stay in Puerto Escondido was way too long for our tastes. It was nice to get to the bottom of a couple of jobs like dispatching the cucarachas and the chain locker.
We motored all the way to Agua Verde in the morning sun. A nice break from the “Pineapple Express” as it is known locally.
We made it to Agua Verde in time to beat another boat to a choice spot in the anchorage. After we had the chain down, he made a turn and anchored in front of town where he stayed until the N wind chop made it too uncomfortable.
As the miles ticked away, we felt a little better about Puerto Escondido. There are 2 very well equipped tiendas as well as rocking wifi at the Tripui resort up the road. I think I feel a lot better about not dealing with the wrecked services at the Fonatur marina. If Kip and Mary are home on our way back in the spring, we will probably stop for a short stay.
We went into town in search of the famous Agua Verde goat’s cheese. Along the road we met one of the folks who owns a tienda and she mentioned to us that there is no cheese in her store as the little goats need the milk at this time of year. We went over to another tienda and they had goat’s cheese. We bought enough for a few lunches and some snacks for our evening with Jim and Diane on Prairie Oyster.
Not long after arriving in the anchorage we asked some fishermen for some fish. They gave us a nice one just big enough for our supper. They would not accept payment for the wonderful meal they gave us. This is just one example of many situations where the local people are so very kind and generous.
We left the fridge on all day and the beer is getting very cold. This sounds like a job for Jay Superkidneys! After awaking from my nap, I discovered Anita changed the supper menu to stir fry as the broccoli is going bad. So we are having fish stir fry tonight.
Later…..
We had a nice visit from Prairie Oyster (Jim and Diane). They are veteran Puddle Jumpers who have returned to Mexico and will remain here for the rest of their senior lives. They enjoy Mexico and are content to ply the waters of the Sea of Cortez.
11-22
We are just off of Nopolo. We are motoring towards San Evaristo and should be there in an hour and a half. We are making good time with a ¾ knot push from behind. The weather is in the low 80s and no wind (other than an odd odor emanating from Anita just now). We were up at 0545 and were on our way at 0615 when we had enough light to see any obstructions. We followed our tracks from last year southward in very light winds. We have been keeping occupied with Sudoku puzzles and updating the blog. Anita suggested that I write a bit and charge the computer at the same time. As always, I look forward to writing, so here I sit in the cockpit in the warm winter sun typing up the blog. I had a delicious lunch of goat cheese, apple, and jalepeno pickles on crackers. Doesn’t get any better than that – oh yeah- a Mexican beer to wash it down with. BTW, Mexican beer has less than half the power of a Canadian beer, so you’d probably never be able to get a mild buzz out of the stuff.
11-26
We continued motoring in light conditions towards San Evaristo arriving in the early afternoon. When we arrived, only a Catalina 27, Wilful Simplicity, was anchored in the N hook. We joined her. Wilful (Steve and Charlotte) have moved in with the locals. She teaches English in the local school.
We stayed in San Evaristo a few days and reconnected with Prairie Oyster as well as Jim and Jeannie (Kanga).
Yesterday, we got going early in the morning (0700) and motored over to the old salt mine community of Salinas on Isla San Jose. We looked around the place and then upped anchor and motored over to Isla Coyote and looked around the only continuously inhabited community on an island in the Sea of Cortez. The place is very small, but boasts a museo (museum) and a small chapel as well as a small school. Only two fisherman were on the island today as everyone was off visiting and swimming at a beach on Isla San Francisco.
We upped anchor at Isla Coyote at 1300 and motored over to Isla San Francisco where we had a salt water bath and gave a fresh water rinse after that. We had a delicious spaghetti supper and watched two episodes of “Pacific” and then off to bed at 2000.
In the middle of the night, the boat started pointing S and was bucking. This was a sure indicator of a Coromuel. We woke at 0630 to find a boat leaving the choppy anchorage. We hung around for a little while longer and left at 0715.
We motored S in 15 knot headwinds that diminished to 10 over the course of the morning.
We arrived in Caleta Partida just before lunch. There to greet us was Colin and Sherrin of Mamabird. On board their boat was Roger and Maureen (Sherrin’s parents). We had a nice visit and played some tunes in the evening.
The outboard on the dinghy packed it in just a few yards from the boat. We paddled back and, after some deliberation, decided to head into La Paz the next day so we could affect a repair.
11-27
We upped anchor at 0630 and had an uneventful motor into Marina de La Paz. To our disappointment our reserved slip was not to happen. We are presently tucked into a nice slip here in Marina de La Paz where we are sure to be moved soon. We hope to get off to slip 130 when the present boat leaves December 19.
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